A Note Of Courage
by EmeraldEyedDreamer
Summary: Devastated after a battle, Harry has a dream that gives him some answers...and some courage. One-Shot


**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or any of the people or places mentioned. I only own the events.**

_A/N: I wrote this fic for a contest on a Harry Potter forum. The contest never really got judged, but I was really proud of this one-shot. The prompt for the contest was to write fic containing the phrase "__Courage isn't always a roar, sometimes it's the quiet voice that says 'I'll try again tomorrow.'__" I know the ending isn't really…probable…too easy. I'll fix it when I get a better idea. Sorry it isn't perfect._

**A Note of Courage**

"You can't defeat me Potter!" Voldemort bellowed.

"Wanna bet?!" Harry yelled, brandishing his wand.

Voldemort cackled but there was a hint of fear in his eyes. Harry and Voldemort had been battling for the past 20 minutes. Harry had an advantage since he had expertly disarmed Voldemort. He was now mustering up the power and concentration to kill him.

Suddenly, a flash of vibrant green light illuminated the battlefield and a piercing scream split through the air. Harry, surprised, turned to see who had fallen.

He was horrified to see Ginny's body collapse to the ground.

"Ginny!" Harry screamed as his heart shattered.

Harry then heard a triumphant laugh. He turned to face Voldemort, who continued to laugh.

"Got to you now, didn't we Potter?" he remarked, mirth filling his evil red eyes.

With that he apparated. Taking this as a signal to leave, all of the Death Eaters apparated as well.

The members of the Order watched Sadly as Harry ran towards Ginny's fallen body. He held her lifeless form close to his as sobs of sadness and pain wracked his body.

"GINNY!!!!" Harry let out a strangled yell to the night sky.

"IT'S ALL MY FAULT!!!" Harry screamed. "ALL MY FAULT! I DIDN'T PROTECT HER!!! I BROKE UP WITH HER!!! I didn't get to say good-bye...It's all my fault." 

Harry began to hiccup now. His tears subsided but his heart still cried out for Ginny.

"I loved her." he said in a softer voice.

"We know Harry. We know." Lupin replied as we came up behind Harry and helped him up. Ron sobbed as he walked up to his young sister's body and picked her up.

The Order apparated mournfully back to headquarters.

Later that night, the Order and their families held a funeral for Ginny and all of their other fallen comrades that died in this latest battle.

An hour after the funeral, word was received that Voldemort and his followers were going to attack a small town on the outskirts of London the following afternoon. Mrs. Weasley sent everyone to bed early so they could recuperate for the next, and hopefully last, battle.

Harry couldn't sleep. He began to think of Ginny, Dumbledore, Neville, Seamus, Professor Flitwick, Hagrid, and everyone else he had lost in this war. He was running out of options. He was afraid of making more mistakes and losing more friends.

He began to scream. "SHOW ME A SIGN! WHAT SHOULD I DO?!" he bellowed as he tore apart his room.

Nobody came to investigate because he had sound-proofed his room.

As he continued to scream for a sign and throw objects around the room, Harry began to cry again. After a while, he fell onto his bed, drained of energy, tears, and hope.

Thinking of Ginny, he fell asleep.

_Harry was walking through a grassy field. In the distance, he saw a girl. She had fiery red hair and beautiful fair skin. He recognized her at once. It was Ginny!_

Harry happily sprinted towards her and they embraced. "Ginny! You're alive!!" he yelled, estatic.

Ginny's grin slowly turned into a sad frown. "No Harry. I'm dead." she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "I came to say 'Good-bye' and to give you a message."

Harry looked at her, devastated.

"But-"

"Shh..." Ginny said softly, pressing a finger to his lips.

"Promise me Harry. Promise me you'll defeat Voldemort and set the wizarding world free. Promise me you will move on ad get married someday. Maybe even fall in love." She whispered. It pained her to say it, but she wanted him to be happy.

"But I love you Ginny. I love you more than anything in the world." Harry had a few tears looming in his sad, emerald eyes.

"I know. And I love you more than anything too. But promise me. Please."

Harry looked at her reproachfully, the drew his breath. "I promise."

"Good." She smiled. "Here." she handed him a folded slip of paper.

He knew she was going to leave now. "Wait! Will I ever see you again?" He looked at her, his eyes pleading her to say yes. But she just smiled and stood on her toes and kissed him softly on the lips.

"Good-bye Harry. I love you." she whispered as she started to fade.

"Good-bye Ginny." And when she had totally disappeared, he added: "I will always love you."

He stood there for a moment before remembering the slip of paper.

He quickly unfolded it and read it. He smiled. He knew what he had to do.

"Harry! Harry wake up! We have to go now!" Hermione and Ron shook him awake.

Hours later it was Harry against Voldemort once again. Voldemort began to taunt Harry, reminding him of everyone in his life he had taken from Harry.

Harry simply closed his eyes and remembered the dream from the night before. Ginny, the promise, the kiss, and finally, the message.

Harry opened his eyes as Voldemort pointed his wand.

"Avada Kedav-" 

Crack!

Harry apparated to a spot behind Voldemort, leveled his wand and bellowed. "AVADA KEDAVRA!!!!"

In a flash of green, the most evil man- No, demon. The most evil demo in the world died. A few of his followers yelled before disapparating. The Order saw this and stunned the rest.

Harry walked away from the cheering Order and looked towards the setting sun. He smiled as a warm breeze caressed his cheek. He knew Ginny was with him, always.

Hermione and Ron ran up to Harry.

"Blimey Harry! How did you do that? That was...wicked!" Ron praised.

Hermione looked at him questionably. "How did you know it would work?"

Harry looked at both of his best friends and put his arms around his shoulders, he then looked towards the horizon. "I didn't." he remarked.

It was a moment before he spoke again.

"Last night, I learned something. I learned 'Courage isn't always a roar, Sometimes it's the quiet voice that says 'I'll try again tomorrow'"


End file.
